You are discussing tonight a proposal of moving the "Off the grid" to the Parking lot on Alma near the library & the Gym. I take my Grand Children to Kuk Sool there on Wednesday night. Many times there is no parking available. This as at 4:30pm
I do not feel that this is the place to consider.

Posted by care for a walkabout?
a resident of Menlo Park: Stanford Hills
on Sep 12, 2016 at 1:21 pm

I think the new location is GREAT!! Awesome choice!

One notes that all the complaints are about getting parking really, really close to the place where they go for PHYSICAL EXERCISE! Consider walking the extra 100 feet part of your/their warm-up routine.

Like that meme of those that circle the parking lot to get a spot close to the door of the gym where they go to get on a treadmill.

I agree that Civic Center parking is packed with year round kid and adult activities: gymnastics, soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, swimming lessons and team practices, library, etc. and not a good option. I like M-A high school idea or existing Cal Train Option or A Farmer's Market serup in one of downtown lots

Off the Grid has been a fun addition to the limited Wednesday night options in Menlo Park, but this is not a good site for them. Three different soccer leagues are paying quite a bit of money to use the Burgess space for practices, not to overlook people taking their kids to the gymnastics and basketball programs. care for a walkabout? may not have had the experience of herding young children to a game and may never have had to carry two bags filled with balls to a practice, but since s/he is eager for exercise, I'm sure there are many parents and volunteer coaches who would appreciate the assistance.

Really coach? I'm glad you enjoy hauling lots of gear, but it's a hardship for those of us who are small and not that strong. I have carried all my coaching gear a block or more and herded small children at the same time, making me wonder why I volunteered to coach. I'd rather not have to give up my parking space to a food truck customer who doesn't care whether or not the food trucks are by a park or in a parking lot, plus we're paying the city to use that practice space. Why should a for-profit organization take priority? Not a knock on OTG, but keep them where they are, a better location and safer all around.

Sounds like a great idea! I hope the NIMBY folks don't kill this off. Noise complaints from the music? Please, the trains will drown any of that out and it's over by 9. Besides, how convenient to feed the kids after their soccer games! If parking is an issue, then just drop your kid off and pick them up - once a week, I know you deal with it.

The people who are being so dismissive of concerns about parking in the Library/Arrillaga lot when the gym is being used for youth sports need a bit of a reality check. I don't mind walking, and on crowded days I do drop off my carload of kids at the gym, then go find parking and walk in. But if the City is seriously proposing to give over most or all of the lot to Off the Grid on a day when youth basketball uses the gym, concurrent with soccer practices happening on the fields, then they're not thinking clearly. Why can't Off the Grid just stay in its current, highly successful location?

Posted by Reality Check
a resident of another community
on Sep 14, 2016 at 4:07 pm

The SJ Mercury article on this story states: "Caltrain’s board of directors notified Off the Grid in May that the market must vacate the Merrill Street parking lot, which is part of “a designated historical station,” Off the Grid said in a statement. The historical designation prohibits the site from hosting a commercial enterprise."

This makes little sense when OTG seems to be working so very well at the station; and a quick search of the Caltrain JPB board meeting agendas and minutes for April, May and June for anything regarding this comes up empty.